Stan Wawrinka starts his title defense with a comfortable win over Marsel Ilhan

Stan Wawrinka plays a backhand against Marsel Ilhan in the first round

Stan Wawrinka couldn’t have asked for a better start to the Australian Open as he brushed aside Turkey’s Marsel Ilhan 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 in just 1 hour and 29 minutes. The Swiss showed no sign of nerves as he took the first set 6-1 under 20 minutes. Wawrinka could get only 50% of his first serves in the first set, but converted them into points with his aggressive style of play. Ilhan has not progressed beyond the first round of a Grand Slam in his career and it looked extremely difficult for the World No. 100 to change it.

It was an even second set, but Ilhan failed to capitalise on two break opportunities. Wawrinka needed only one break point chance to go ahead in the second set. He took it 6-4 with a total of nine winners in the set. The defending champion broke twice in the third set to close out what was a convincing start to the first Grand slam of the year.

Wawrinka will face either Spaniard Pablo Andujar or Romanian Marius Copil in the second round.